Heating-furnace



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. A. PRICE.

HEATING FURNACE. N0. 370,889. Patented Oct. 4, 1887'.

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. 2 Sheets-g 2" PRICE! HEATING FURNAGE.

Patented 001;. 4, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEricE- JOHN A. PRICE, OF SGRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

HEATING-FURNACE.

SPECIPTCA'I'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,889, datedOctober 4, 1887.

Application filed July 6, 1886. Serial No, 207,225. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Peron, of

naces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the-same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures andletters of reference marked thereon.

My invention has for its object the production of a hot-air furnace inwhich the heated air and products which ordinarily pass from thecombustion-chamber freely up the smokeflue are retarded and utilized soas to reduce the amount of wasted heat to the minimum.

To this end it consistsin the novel construction and combination ofparts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed outparticularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents alongitudinal vertical section of a furnace constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the same,taken onthelinex m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the partitions orsections of refractory material employed in the retorts or ducts toretard the heated products arising from the combustion-chamber. Fig. 4is a detail sectional view showing the firepot and the water receptacleor vaporizer arranged in proximity thereto.

Similar lettersof reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The letter A represents the firepot of the furnace, constructed asshown, or in any desired manner. B is the grate, consisting, preferably,of revolving sections, and O is the combustion-chamber.

Above the combustion chamber, and arranged centrally thereof, is what Iterm the retort D, having at its upper end damper E, that is operated bya rod or handle, F. When the damper is open, communication isestablished between the retort'and a chamber, G, from which thesmoke-pipe H leads. The body of the retort is preferably of cast-ironand of flared or conical form, as shown in Fig. 1, and it is nearlyfilled with sections or partitions I, of refractory material, such asfirebrick. Each of these sections or partitions is perforated, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, and is provided with projecting lugs or feet t, whichserve to keep its edges away from the walls of the retort sufficientlyto leave a space for the passage of the heated products, and theperforations in the several sections or partitions are located so as tocause them to break joints with those of the adjoining sections orpartitions, and thus by rendering the paths of the ascending productsmore devious retard the passage of the products to a greater extent.Also arranged above the combustion-chamber in a circle around thecentral retort are a series of other retorts, K, smaller than thecentral retort, but, like the latter, filled with the sections orpartitions of refractory material vand constituting other ducts orpassages for the heated products between the combusti0nchamber and thechamber G.

A casing, L, incloses the fire-pot, combustion-chamber, retorts, andchamber G, as shown in Fig. 1, and pipes or fines M lead from thiscasing to the apartments to be heated.-

The form of the retorts also assists in the retardation of the heatedproducts, as it will be noted that after they have passed the contractedorifice at the entrance they will spread laterally, and by coming incontact with the rounded top will be directed down again at the center,as will be readily understood. This radiated heat is utilized in thefollowing manner: As the air in the inclosing-casing L is heated byradiation from the walls of the fire-pot and the walls of thecombustionchamber, it rises, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, passesaround and between the retorts of the outer series and the centralretort, and, being highly heated by radiation from such surfaces,ascends next through retort-shaped passages N, arranged in the chamberG, and highly heated by the products passing therethrough, and finallyis conducted off through the fines M to the place of use.

From the described construction it is obvious that a large portion ofheat which is ordinarily allowed to pass off as waste through thesmoke-exit is utilized, thus greatly increasing the heating capacity ofthe furnace without consuming more fuel.

It is obvious that the refractory retarding sections or partitionsemployed in the retorts may be varied in construction, the onlyessential point to be observed being that they shall be perforated, soas to retard without entirely obstructing the passage of the productsfrom the combustionchamber. The conical form of the retorts also assistsin the retardation of the heated products.

As a means for stimulating the fire in this furnace I arrange a waterreceptacle or vaporizer, O, in such proximity to the fire-pot as to beheated by radiation therefrom, and I connect with the upper part of thiswater-receptacle a suitable pipe, I which connects with a pipe or pipes,Q, arranged in the ash-pit It of the furnace. The pipe Q is perforated,as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and when the water in the receptacle isheated the vapor or steam passes oif through pipe I into pipe Q, and isdischarged from the latter into the ash-pit, and, passing up through thefire, materially assists in the process of combustion. The form ofwater-receptacle which I prefer to employ consists of a number of pipesconnected together, as shown in Fig. 1, and kept automatically suppliedwith water through a pipe, S, by means of a cylinder, T, containing afloat, U, which operates through a lever, V, and suitable connections toopen and close a valve, V, and a pipe, X, connected with some source ofwatersupply. \Vhenever the water in the water receptacle or vaporizerfalls belowits normal level, the water in the cylinder '1 fallscorrespondingly, thus causing the float.

U to descend, and through the described instrumentalities open the valveW and admit water into the cylinder until the floatis again raised tonormal point, when the supply will be again cut off. This coutrivancemay also be used forthe purpose of sprinkling the ashes in the ash-pit,so as to prevent the raising of dust when said ashes are withdrawn fromthe ash-pit, it being only necessary to the accomplishment of the resultto raise the lever V so as to open the water-supply valve and keep itraised until a sutiicient quantity of water has issued from the pipe Qin the form of jets upon the ashes.

\Vhen the coutrivance is used as a vaporizer to stimulate the fire itsusefulness may be extended by connecting with the water recepta' cle orvaporizer a pipe, 0, connected with other pipes, O, that in turn openinto a chamber, 0, having perforations 0 arranged at or about the levelof the fire. The admission of vapor or steam through these perforationshas also a stimulating effect upon the fire. Instead, however,ofadmitting vapor or steam through these perforations, a valve, 0", may beclosed, so as to cut off communication with the water receptacle orvaporizer,and a valve, 0,opened, so as to admit a supply of air, as willbe readily understood.

What I claim as new is= 1. The combination, with the combustionchamber,of the series of retorts, constituting passages through which the heatedproducts pass off from the combustion-chamber, each of said retortsbeing made flared or conical and larger at the top and provided withperforated sections or partitions of refractory material, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination, with the combustionchamber, of the series ofretorts, constituting passages through which the heated products passoff from the combustion-chamber, each of said retorts being providedwith a series of perforated sections or partitions of refractorymaterial, and the perforations of the several sections or partitionsbeing arranged to break joints, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the combustionehamber, of a series of retorts,constituting ducts for the passage of the products of combustion arisingfrom the fire,the chamberinto which said retorts or ducts discharge, andthe other series of retorts arranged within said last-mentioned chamberand serving as ducts for the passage and reheating of the risingcurrents of air previously heated by radiation from the first-mentionedseries of retorts, sub stantially as described.

4. The combination, with a combustionchamber, of the flaring centralretort arranged above it, provided with perforated refractory sectionsor partitions and having a damper for controlling communication with thesmokedischarging flue, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a combustionchamber, of the central retortandthe outer series of retorts provided with the perforated sections orpartitions of refractory material and constituting ducts or fines whichretard the escape of the products of combustion from the fire, and thedamper in the central retort, by which direct communication with thesmoke-exit flue may be established, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the fire-pot and combustion-chamber, of thecentral flared or conical retort, the outer series of retorts containingthe perforated refractory sections or partitions, the chamber into whichthe uppermost retorts of each series discharge,the additional flared orconical retorts arranged in said last-mentioned chamber, through whichair heated by radiation from the outer series of retorts rises, and aninclosing-case for the furnace, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the flared or conical retorts through which theproducts of combustion pass from the fire,of the perforated retarding-plates of refractory material arranged within said retorts, andprovided with projecting feet, which serve to keep the edges of thesections or partitions away from contact with the walls of the retorts,substantiallyas described.

8. The combination, with the fire-pot of a furnace or stove, of a waterreceptacle or vaporizer located outside the fire-pot, but in suchproximity thereto as to be heated by radiation therefrom, and suitablepipes or conductors for conveying the vapor from said water receptacleor vaporizer to the ash -pit and thereby stimulate the fire,substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the fire-pot of a furnace or stove, ofawater-receptacle located outside the fire-pot, but in proximitythereto, so as to be heated by radiation therefrom, pipes leading fromthe said receptacle to the ash-pit and perforated, so as to discharge onthe ashes in the latter, a valve in the watersupply to the receptacle,and a float operated by the water in the receptacle and connected to thevalve, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with'the fire-pot of afurnace or stove, of awater-receptacle located outside the fire-pot, but in such proximitythereto as to be heated by radiation therefrom, an auxiliary cylinder orreceptacle connected with the first-named receptacle through a cock witha suitable water-supply, and a valve or float operating by its positionto admit or shut off water into or from the said auxiliary receptacle,substantially as described.

11. The combination, with the fire-pot of the water-receptacle locatedoutside the fire- 25 pot,but in proximitythereto,and having pipesleading to the ash-pit, as described, of the auxiliary water receptacleor feeder, the floatvalve, the Water-supply pipe and its valve, and thelever and connections between the go float-valve and Water-supply valve,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

12. The combination, with the fire-pot of a furnace or stove,ofawater-receptacle arranged outside the fire-pot, in proximity theretoand 3 5 heated by radiation therefrom, pipes or condoctors arranged todischarge into the combustion-chamber and having connection both withthe air and with the said water-receptacle,and valves for controllingsuch connection, 0 substantially as described.

JOHN A. PRICE.

Witnesses:

MELVILLE CHURCH, CHAS. R. BURR.

